|
SOLVAY ADVANCED POLYMERS’ NEW UDEL P-1700 HELPS OHIO COMPANY PRODUCE A BETTER BALL FOR THE BALL VALVE
10 June 2003 - Solvay Advanced Polymers Llc
| With a minimum of effort and just a slight turn of the wrist, water flows from the valve. Turn it back, the flow stops and nothing drips. For most people that means the valve is working. But for Ronald A. Moner, P.E., the chief engineer in Parker Hannifin Corporation’s Parflex Division in Ravenna, Ohio, it means the ‘ball’ inside the ball valve is sealing properly. The ‘ball’ in question is made from UDEL P-1700 NT11 polysulfone produced by Solvay Advanced Polymers, L.L.C. |
“The valve we manufacture must provide leak-free performance,” Moner said. “To achieve this, the ball inside the valve must create a tight seal when it is in the closed position.” “The predictable production characteristics of balls made from UDEL P-1700 results in parts with uniform dimensions and a very smooth surface finish. This helps us achieve this leak-free performance,” he said. According to Moner, when UDEL polysulfone is molded, there is minimal
shrinkage that is consistent and predictable. “This minimizes or eliminates ‘sink’ or
distortion of the finished part, which means that the final ball is close to a perfect sphere,” he added. “UDEL polysulfone also resists corrosion and buildup from minerals in the water
that try to attach or ‘plate’ themselves onto the ball itself,” he said. Moner said this resistance to corrosion, along with the smooth surface finish of the ball itself, not only creates a much tighter seal that prevents leaks when it is in the closed position, but it also makes the valve easier to open and close. “The surface finish of balls made with the material we previously used contained
a lot of flow lines. Those flow lines reduced the surface smoothness of the ball, making it more susceptible to leakage and requiring more torque to open and close the valve,” he noted. What does all this mean to the layman?
Moner compares it to the difference between riding on a paved road and a gravel
road. “UDEL P-1700 is the paved road,” he said.
http://www.solvayadvancedpolymers.com
About: Solvay Advanced Polymers Llc
Solvay Advanced Polymers Llc is a subsidiary of Solvay America Inc, the US holding company of Solvay SA. The company produces high-performance polymers that are used in a wide range of demanding applications in the automotive, aerospace, industrial, foodservice, medical, and electronics industries worldwide.Solvay SA is an international pharmaceuticals and chemicals group with headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, employing about 30 000 people in 50 countries. In 2003, its consolidated sales amounted to EUR 7.6 billion, generated by activities in its three major business sectors: chemicals, plastics and pharmaceuticals. Solvay SA is listed in the Euronext 100 index of top European companies.
|
More News:
• For June 2003
• From Solvay Advanced Polymers Llc
• For High-performance polymers
|
